


baby, you make me crazy

by hokaidos



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 17:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13323075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hokaidos/pseuds/hokaidos
Summary: Kyungsoo discovers that the cool soccer team captain Kai is hiding a very dark secret from the rest of the school.





	baby, you make me crazy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [khrysallis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/khrysallis/gifts).



A thunderstorm was brewing, threatening to tear the world apart. Everything outside the window was a blur, engulfed by a heavy downpour. Kyungsoo thought it would be a good idea to wait out the storm instead, knowing he would be completely drenched by the time he made the 15 minutes walk even if he had an umbrella.

That was how, in this foreboding weather, Kyungsoo found himself wandering towards the changing room located by the field. It was already evening and most of his friends had long left—he was only still here because he had a habit of staying back after school to study.

This place contained enough memories to evoke nostalgia, memories of when he joined the school soccer team, though only briefly. That was back when Chanyeol was captain; before the new transfer student, Kai, came astounding everyone with his skills and took over his position. Kyungsoo had already left the team by then, but he had heard enough stories of Kai and how well he played soccer. Occasionally, he would chance upon the much revered soccer captain in the hallways as well, but they had never really interacted.

Kai seemed like a cool guy. He was tall and handsome, that much Kyungsoo couldn’t deny. He was quiet and never made use of his popularity to do anything stupid—seemingly nice guy who stayed in his lane. So when the door to the changing room swung open with a slight creak, the pitter-pattering of the rain amplified in the small room, it seemed more like a dream than anything that Kai would materialize right before Kyungsoo’s very eyes.

It was a very small room indeed, with rows of lockers lining the walls and a rectangular bench in the middle. It was a very exposed area with nowhere to hide, and not a place Kyungsoo would consider ideal for doing anything private. But here he was standing at the door, accidentally intruding upon what appeared to be a private moment.

There were two males on the bench, that much could be seen clearly even in the darkness. One of them was lying sprawled across the bench, his face hidden in the shadows, and Kyungsoo’s eyes widened as the male straddling and leaning over the unidentified stranger straightened up and met his gaze.

Two facts registered instantly. Firstly, there was not a doubt that it was Kai he was staring at. Secondly, the timely flash of lightning that had momentarily illuminated the room had exposed Kyungsoo to something that he thought was more sinister than just two individuals making out.

He might be wrong, but he could have sworn that the blinding white light had allowed him to catch a glimpse of what seemed like black mist leaving the unidentified individual’s mouth, with Kai leaning over him to… inhale it?

Anyhow, whatever Kai was doing was interrupted, and the soccer captain did not look very pleased. Kyungsoo’s gaze flitted from him to the male sprawled beneath him, his heart starting to pound as he started to make more sense of the situation. The unidentified individual didn’t seem conscious—he didn’t react like Kai did when he opened the door—what the hell was going on here?

Then came a boom of thunder that seemed to reverberate through the small, dark room, as if this mysterious situation wasn’t frightening enough already. It startled Kyungsoo, making him jump. Then his reflexes took over and he took off in the opposite direction, through the rain, his sneakers sloshing through the puddles. There had been something predatory in Kai’s gaze.

When he ducked into the main building across the field, he was completely soaked and his sneakers were caked in mud. He was in a much more terrible state than he would have been if he just walked home under the protection of an umbrella, but there was nothing he could think about except for what he just saw.

Kyungsoo kept replaying the scene over and over in his mind, and the more he did that, the stronger his conviction about having seen something weird, or even supernatural, grew. And Kai seemed to be the perpetrator, with the other male in such a defenceless position.

His shaking hands made it difficult to turn on the tap. When he managed it, Kyungsoo splashed his face with the cool water, hoping to soothe his accelerated heartbeat as well. On hindsight, maybe most people would have pursued the matter on the spot, but Kyungsoo had been terrified even without really knowing what was going on.

Whatever it was, he didn’t like it. He had a really bad feeling about it.

He looked outside. The thunderstorm was still ongoing. It held the promise of lasting all night. Since he was already drenched anyway, walking home now didn’t seem like a bad idea anymore. So he did, and by the time he arrived in the safe sanctuary of his home, he was a lot less shaken than he had been.

It would be three days later when he would come face to face with Kai.

-

Kai’s confrontation took him completely off-guard. Unlike how gloomy the weather had been the day Kyungsoo saw something that would alter his entire life, it was sunny and bright out when Kai cornered him in the hallway and said he wanted to talk.

The soccer captain retained a look of nonchalance on his face as he backed Kyungsoo into a corner. It was impossible for Kyungsoo to run, and it wasn’t as if anything was confirmed, so he did his best to hold Kai’s gaze, to not let his fear show.

“We have to talk.”

Kyungsoo swallowed dryly. “I’m listening.”

A glint of annoyance flashed in Kai’s eyes. “Not here,” he said, and there was a tinge of impatience laced in his tone as well.

It didn’t help that Kai was much taller than him—as if the physical difference alone wasn’t enough to make Kyungsoo feel small, the soccer captain was also looking at him like he thought he was stupid and Kyungsoo didn’t like feeling like this one bit.

He could only stand his ground and hope that he didn’t look as small as he felt.

“Why not?”

Kai glanced away for a second and Kyungsoo made use of that to further compose himself. He didn’t want to appear scared.

“There are people around,” Kai claimed.

Yet, when Kyungsoo looked past Kai’s shoulder, they were the only two in the hallway.

“Here is fine,” Kyungsoo insisted, surprised by how steady his voice was.

Suddenly, this entire situation felt stupid. Being cornered by Kai felt stupid, and being scared of something he happened to see and couldn’t ascertain felt incredibly stupid. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding after all—but if that was the case, why was Kai so intent on talking to him? If all Kyungsoo had seen was him making out with someone, then it really wasn’t much of a big deal. He wasn’t intending to publish it on the school magazine.

He thought he was standing his ground well, but the longer he stared into Kai’s eyes, the more he felt his knees threatening to buckle. There was just something about those dark eyes that drew him in, made him want to submit, listen.

It must be those eyes. Kyungsoo felt like he was slowly slipping into a dream.

When Kai repeated his request to go somewhere quieter, Kyungsoo followed after him without uttering another word.

-

“Isn’t there anything you want to ask me?” wasn’t exactly what Kyungsoo thought he would hear from Kai when he snapped back to reality, only to find himself standing in an empty classroom with the soccer captain.

Kyungsoo tilted his head. “What?”

“I said, isn’t there anything you want to ask me?”

The way Kai was looking at him, like he was stupid, like he was an insignificant individual he could casually crush beneath his feet, was really getting on Kyungsoo’s nerves. He didn’t know what he had done to warrant this treatment, especially when Kai had never struck him as the arrogant kind.

“Is this because I caught you making out with someone?” The emphasis on making out seemed to surprise Kai. He blinked, or perhaps he wasn’t expecting Kyungsoo to be so straightforward about it.

Or maybe there was something more.

Kai blinked again, looking confused. “What?”

“Look.” Kyungsoo rubbed his face, wishing this could be over already. Whatever he saw that day, it no longer ate at him, at least not enough to affect his everyday life. That being said, it meant it was something he could just bury and move on from with enough time. He didn’t understand why Kai was making such a big deal out of it. “I really don’t care, alright? Whatever the hell you were doing. It doesn’t matter to me.”

There was a short silence before Kai spoke again. “Kim Minseok. Freshman. He’s in the hospital now, he’s been unconscious for days.”

Then it all came back again. It was clearer in Kyungsoo’s mind now, the black mist he saw leaving the other male—Minseok’s mouth. And Kai, Kai who was standing before him, dark eyes and dark hair, Kai sucking in that black mist.

Kyungsoo didn’t speak.

“I wasn’t making out with him.”

Those words didn’t make sense instantly. Kyungsoo couldn’t quite look Kai in the eyes anymore—he didn’t understand anything that was going on.

Then Kai leaned in, and his lips were curled into a wicked smile, and his breath tickled Kyungsoo’s ear as he whispered, “I was sucking his soul out of him.”

This was the first proper interaction he was having with Kai, and Kyungsoo found himself reaching out, bracing his hands against the taller male’s chest, shoving him back as hard as he possibly could. It worked. Kai stumbled back and Kyungsoo was free from the physical imprisonment, had enough space for his breath to come easy again.

He knew there was nothing he could say. It was obvious Kai was trying to intimidate him, but for purposes unknown to Kyungsoo at this moment, and he didn’t want to walk right into his trap. This whole situation was bizzare no matter how he looked at it. Here, the soccer captain was telling him that he was responsible for the hospitalization of his schoolmate, but why? What did he mean about sucking the soul out of him?

Maybe he should ask Kai now, but…

Kyungsoo ran. His heart seemed to be swelling in his chest and he was scared as much as he was confused. This felt like a mistake. He felt like he had stumbled upon something he wasn’t meant to see, and now he had to pay for it. And he didn’t want to end up like Minseok, now that he knew about him.

Silence chased after him and for a long time, it was just the sounds of Kyungsoo’s sneakers scuffing against the ground. He looked back anyway, just to be sure that Kai hadn’t somehow snuck up on him. His cheeks were flushed and he was all out of breath when he finally stopped.

Outside, nothing had changed. The vast blue sky stretched on infinitely, the bluest Kyungsoo had seen in a while. His trembling hands were difficult to ignore, and they remained like that for a long time, long enough to convince Kyungsoo that Kai wasn’t coming after him.

-

Casual probing excavated one too many rumours of how Minseok ended up in the hospital, and how he was currently doing. Some said he overdosed on drugs, others said it was a suicide attempt. Apparently, there were no physical injuries, so it was strange that a seemingly healthy young lad would just fall into comatose without good reason. Even the doctors were baffled.

Kyungsoo’s shoulders slumped as he sat alone in the empty classroom. There was a weight on his shoulders holding him down and he couldn’t shrug it off—he was burdened with knowledge, with truth; he knew how Minseok ended up that way, but was he in a position where he could tell on Kai? Even if he did tell somebody, was his tale believable?

Kai had remained out of his sight for the past week, which was everything Kyungsoo wanted, but uneasiness pervaded. Whether Kai would come for him again or not wasn’t even a question, Kyungsoo knew he would. It was just a matter of time. And the longer he waited, the longer Kai kept him hanging, the more anxious he grew.

The tick-tock of the clock was amplified in his thoughtfulness, as if playing out a countdown he wasn’t aware of. But Kyungsoo should have known. He should have known Kai would come for him when he was most vulnerable, alone—a haunting thought struck him then; maybe he had subconsciously been creating opportunities for this to happen, because he needed some answers.

So when Kai showed up at the door, it didn’t come as such a big surprise to Kyungsoo. Having interacted with Kai once and slowly starting to get acquainted with his intensity, he was a little more prepared for what to expect this time. Kai wouldn’t catch him off-guard and he wasn’t going to run away, not again. This time he would really stand his ground and let Kai know he meant business.

Except that Kai didn’t walk right up to him, didn’t stare right into his soul, didn’t do anything Kyungsoo was expecting him to.

“You mind your own business,” Kai began, an eyebrow cocked. His dark hair fell in loose strands over his forehead today instead of being meticulously slicked back as it usually was, and it somehow made him look more boyish and approachable. “You’re interesting.”

The taller male took slow steps towards Kyungsoo with his arms hanging limply by his side, almost like he was trying to let him know that he wouldn’t do anything that would make Kyungsoo uncomfortable this time. This was definitely a drastic character change and it made Kyungsoo hardly know how to react when he had been bracing himself for something of much higher intensity.

Kai launched his final attack by stopping right before Kyungsoo’s desk. He rested his hands on the wooden surface and leaned closer, but not too much.

“I like that.”

Damn.

_Damn._

Goosebumps erupted all over Kyungsoo’s skin, and he had just the feeling this reaction wasn’t solely to do with Kai’s words. There was just something about Kai’s extremely strong presence and behaviour that made him feel like he had to be on his toes all the time. In fact, there was something addictive about this thrill, and Kyungsoo felt deranged. He didn’t feel like himself, it wasn’t logical for him to be feeling this way.

He knew he was being scrutinized by Kai and he was determined to appear as mysterious as Kai was to him.

“I think it’s best that you leave me alone,” Kyungsoo said calmly, words he had been rehearsing over and over in his head for the next time they met.

He watched Kai carefully too, for any change in his expression, but the taller male surprised him by smiling even wider. His smile, however, was not genuine or happy. It was more of a smirk than a smile, with one corner lifted higher than the other. He was practically oozing with confidence.

“I’m not going to.”

Kyungsoo’s voice fell to a whisper. “Why?”

Kai was drumming his fingers against the desk now, but the rhythm was erratic, and Kyungsoo’s heart was starting to sound the same. “Because you’re interesting,” Kai repeated. “You mind your own business and I like that. Didn’t you hear anything I just said?”

The game was on.

“I could tell somebody about what I saw.” Kyungsoo muttered. His gaze was fixated intently on Kai whose face showed no signs of fear or discomfort. It was evident the soccer captain thought he had the upper-hand, had Kyungsoo wrapped around his finger, and this was really starting to bother the latter.

“Nobody would believe you,” Kai deduced.

“What do you want from me?”

Their conversation was already drawing to an end. Kai was already straightening up. Only now did Kyungsoo see the backpack hitched on one shoulder, and as he took in Kai’s appearance as a whole, it surprised him just how normal Kai looked. With his boyish features especially, no one would possibly think of him as a threat at first impression.

But his eyes. There was something about those dark eyes eyes, a sort of glint that didn’t go away. Kyungsoo felt like he was being held captive whenever Kai’s eyes were on him, and this unfamiliar sensation was inexplicably thrilling.

“You’ll see,” Kai said with a small laugh, and this time, his smile really seemed to reach his eyes. He looked almost like an excited little boy, looking forward for what was to come.

Before Kai left, Kyungsoo gathered enough sense to ask the one question he should have asked from the start, since he was pretty much the only one who knew what really happened to Minseok.

“Will Minseok be okay?”

Kai stopped dead in his tracks. His back was turned to Kyungsoo, and when he responded, he looked back with a smile Kyungsoo could only describe as mischievous—like none of this really meant anything to Kai.

“You interrupted us right in time. Any longer and he wouldn’t.”

Then Kai was gone, walking out of the classroom as swiftly and suddenly as he came, leaving Kyungsoo dazed by his ambiguous answers.

In the midst of all the confusion, one thing Kyungsoo knew was that the game was on. All of this was fun to Kai, and Kyungsoo was now trapped as an unwilling player in a game he didn’t even know the rules of.

-

True to his word, Kai didn’t stop bothering Kyungsoo. Over the next few days, he would show up at the most random places and bother Kyungsoo. He would plonk himself down on the seat right beside him in the cafeteria, appear in the spectator stand when Kyungsoo was swimming, or chase him down the hallway between classes. Always, Kai would attempt to start a conversation, and these conversations always revolved around trying to get to know Kyungsoo a little better.

People noticed the growing friendship between the popular soccer captain and quiet, not-very-outstanding Kyungsoo (or so they thought) and they were quick to comment on it. Kyungsoo never knew how to respond to queries of how they became so close, just as how he didn’t know how to react to Kai’s persistence.

It was only outside of school that Kyungsoo felt safe from Kai’s grasp. In school, Kai always seemed to know where to find him. That behaviour would be almost scary, except that Kyungsoo had a fixed routine that was really predictable, and for some reason, Kai didn’t scare him that much. He never responded much to Kai’s questions anyway, always chose to treat him like he didn’t exist, which was something that only seemed to amuse Kai even further.

A week or two passed like that with Kyungsoo hoping Kai’s interest in him would eventually fade, and he swore never to let Kai get what he wanted, but when he heard news of Minseok waking up and recovering, his stance softened.

“I heard Minseok is coming back to school tomorrow,” Kyungsoo told Kai one day as they were walking through the field to get to the main building. Kai had just finished training for the day, and he hadn’t even gotten a chance to remove his cleats—he joined Kyungsoo right away when he spotted him walking past.

Kai didn’t seem at all concerned about that. “Is he?”

“Does he know what happened?”

The taller male laughed. “Why are you infinitely more curious about other people than me? Don’t you want to know anything about me at all?”

Kyungsoo dug his hands into his pockets. Of course he was curious, but there were topics he didn’t know how to raise. That, and he didn’t know if he was really ready for what he would hear. He had lived all his life in a relatively normal way, and then one rainy day everything just changed—the world he had grown to know, changed.

He eventually decided on, “how do I know you’re not going to hurt me?”

“I wouldn’t, because I want to form a contract with you.”

“A what?”

“Kyungsoo.” This was the first time he had heard Kai call his name, and the way Kai said it, his low voice so firm, sent a buzz of electricity across the expanse of Kyungsoo’s skin. “I’m a demon.”

Was he supposed to let the logical world he knew crumble just like that? Wouldn’t that just mean that it had been held together by a very thin thread right from the start? Kyungsoo scoffed.

“I don’t know if you’ve realized but I’m not 12.”

Kai continued smoothly without missing a beat, as if he didn’t hear Kyungsoo. “I eat the souls of other people, and that was what you saw the other day.”

It must be the large open space they were walking in, where Kyungsoo could see the sky if he just tilted his head back, that made him feel a lot safer, less scared of what Kai was telling him. He didn’t completely believe it yet, but at this point, there was no reason to really doubt Kai either.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because fulfilled souls taste the best, and they’re obtainable only through contracts. So, Kyungsoo, what I’m telling you is that I want to form a contract with you.”

From afar, they just looked like two individuals having a completely normal conversation under completely normal circumstances—heck, Kai looked so at home on the field with his cleats and long socks and Kyungsoo was the one who stood out in his uniform.

Kyungsoo didn’t understand instantly. Or maybe he did, but he didn’t think that was really what Kai meant. It was ridiculous, and he sounded it out to Kai.

“Wait. Are you literally telling me that you want to devour my soul and kill me?”

Kai grinned. “Is that weird? I’ve always preferred being straightforward.”

That was the last straw. Kyungsoo was done with this craziness. He stopped responding, refused to even look at Kai, and quickened his pace. Kai must not be very sensitive, or he just didn’t care, for he easily kept up with Kyungsoo.

“You know what a contract is? I’d grant you anything you want. Anything.” As if that was supposed to sound tempting. It might be, if Kyungsoo had someone to avenge, or if he didn’t want to live anymore, but neither of that was the case.

He was finally rescued when someone shouted Kai’s name, prompting the soccer captain to look away, and subsequently decided whoever was demanding his attention needed him there.

“Hey, I’ll talk to you again soon.” Kai was still grinning, and it was fascinating how he could end the craziest conversations in the most normal way, as if he had just been talking about the weather and not about eating Kyungsoo’s soul.

“Stay away from me!” Kyungsoo shouted after Kai who was jogging towards the opposite direction.

The taller male gave absolutely no indication of having heard Kyungsoo’s request, and even if he did, Kyungsoo wasn’t naive enough to believe that it would really work. For some reason, Kai was incredibly fascinated with him, and as ironic as it was, his honesty was starting to lessen the fear Kyungsoo felt.

At least he knew Kai wouldn’t do anything to harm him without him agreeing to anything—if he wanted to, he already had plenty of opportunities.

So Kyungsoo merely gave a small sigh and went on his way, knowing that soon they would meet again, and hoping that the next time, he would be able to end this confusing situation for once and for all.

-

It was a windy night. The branches outside were swaying slightly in the breeze, and the leaves rustling ever so often. By Kyungsoo’s standards, it was the perfect night to stay in bed and watch a good movie.

The chair screeched lightly as it was dragged against the wooden floor. Kyungsoo stood up, unplugged his laptop, and was halfway across to his bed when the first thud was heard. He stopped, startled, and looked towards his closed door.

“Mom?” He called out, but the only response was silence.

Then the second thud came, the sound more sharp than dull, and Kyungsoo’s eyebrows were pulled into a tight frown when he turned around, regarding the window warily. It was dark out, but he could see the branches swaying. Just when he was starting to dismiss this entire matter, the third thud came.

He didn’t miss the sight of the small pebble slamming into the glass. Kyungsoo winced and immediately placed the laptop on his bed, freeing his hands. He approached the window slowly. It would be a lie to say he didn’t have an inkling of what to expect, for he did, and with a wary heart.

The darkness disguised Kai well enough. It took Kyungsoo a few long seconds to spot him as he peered through the window, eyes scanning through the swaying branches until he spotted Kai settled comfortably on a lower branch that, despite its thickness, didn’t look entirely able to support his weight for long.

When they made eye-contact, Kai raised his hand in greeting, and his crooked, careless grin was probably what convinced Kyungsoo to unlock his window. He slid it up and leaned over slightly, enough for his voice to be carried in the wind to Kai.

“What the hell are you doing?”

He watched as Kai easily hoisted himself up from his current branch to the one above. For an awful moment, Kyungsoo held his breath, convinced that the branch would snap under Kai’s weight. It didn’t. Kai was so agile and elegant that Kyungsoo couldn’t help but feel admiration, and it must have showed on his face, for Kai laughed.

“Let me in?”

Was it really a request? Kyungsoo found himself wholly unable to reject it, not when it was phrased in such a polite manner, and delivered by Kai’s low, soothing voice. It was a crazy thought, but the man sitting on the branch before his window didn’t feel like a threat at all.

Kyungsoo didn’t verbalize his permission, but he made it clear by taking one step to the side, giving way for Kai to enter. The grin on Kai’s face grew even wider, and it was the closest to genuine emotion Kyungsoo had ever seen on him.

The branch closest to Kyungsoo’s window was undoubtedly too thin to bear Kai’s weight, but the latter didn’t give Kyungsoo enough time to ask how he was going to make it up there. He didn’t take the path Kyungsoo was expecting him to—instead of going for the branch above him, Kyungsoo watched as Kai took a deep breath, then, like a cat, leapt from his current branch.

His powerful spring lifted him high enough to grip the edge of Kyungsoo’s window frame. From there, it looked effortless as Kai resorted to brute strength to ease himself through the small space and placed one foot after another on the floor, all the while not losing his balance.

He made himself at home right away by strolling to Kyungsoo’s bed and plonking himself right down. Kai kicked off his shoes and laid back, a satisfied sigh easing through his lips as he closed his eyes for a second.

“Nice room,” he remarked, and his eyes were a rich shade of crimson when he opened them again, looking directly at Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo gasped audibly. He hadn’t moved a single inch, at first due to him not knowing what to do, and now, completely frozen in shock.

Kai seemed to be enjoying the reactions he was getting out of Kyungsoo. His devilish grin was back, and Kyungsoo watched his eyes slowly darken into their usual shade of dark brown after he blinked once.

“You don’t happen to doubt my identity, do you?” Kai asked. He tucked his arms behind his head, looking too comfortable on Kyungsoo’s bed.

“What do you want from me?”

“I’ve already told you what I want from you. Do you ever listen to anything I say?”

Kyungsoo was only now regaining his ability to move. He clenched his fists and took a step back. His legs felt like jelly. Yet, the strangest thing was that Kyungsoo didn’t really feel afraid of Kai anymore. It wasn’t exactly fear he felt, at least not fear of Kai himself—perhaps only of what he had the ability to do.

“I don’t want to form a contract with you.” Kyungsoo answered resolutely, knowing that Kai wouldn’t accept his rejection instantly, but wanting to make his stand clear anyway.

Was there even an escape for him now? He had already been exposed to Kai’s true identity. There was no running away. Perhaps this was a trap from the start, and having options was an illusion all along.

Kai cocked his head. “Why not?”

“I don’t want to die,” Kyungsoo enunciated each word clearly, not comprehending why this wasn’t the most obvious thing. He sat back down on his chair before his legs could give way completely.

“But you haven’t even seen what I’m capable of!” Kai protested. His bottom lip jutted out slightly, making him look even younger than he was, even more boyish than he did with his fringe falling freely across his forehead.

Only now did Kyungsoo notice that Kai was wearing a tight-fitting black T-shirt with denim jeans, and it really seemed so ridiculous that someone who looked so normal, so handsome even, was sitting on his bed telling him that he wanted to eat his soul.

“I don’t want to—” Kyungsoo didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence before his chair was yanked forward by an unknown force. He was propelled towards the bed so unexpectedly and quickly that the unsaid words slid back down his throat and almost choked him.

The moving chair came to a stop right by the bed, where Kai was now sitting up straight in preparation to receive his guest. They came close to each other, so close Kyungsoo could almost feel Kai’s warm breath fan across his face.

“To what?” Kai asked in a whisper, and Kyungsoo swore he saw something swirl in Kai’s dark eyes.

He couldn’t answer. In fact, he couldn’t even process his thoughts anymore. They were becoming so slippery, slipping right through his grasp. He couldn’t look away from Kai’s eyes. The longer he stared into them, the more he felt like he was slowly entering a dream. The world shifted out of focus, blurring, the sounds around him dying out except for Kai’s voice, Kai’s laughter.

“Hmm, Kyungsoo? You don’t want to what?”

The daze hadn’t consumed him entirely. Kyungsoo was still lucid, but he felt like he was surrounded by water, drowning. Every movement he made was met with resistance. His words, too, as he muttered, “I don’t want to die.”

“I won’t let that happen to you,” Kai’s voice seeped into his ears like honey and Kyungsoo closed his eyes, taking his time to absorb the information. “You won’t die.”

Then the taller male was leaning in. His lips brushed Kyungsoo’s ear and goosebumps erupted all over Kyungsoo’s arms.

“You just won’t be alive, at least not completely.”

That enough was alone to jolt Kyungsoo awake, back to reality, and the dreamy spell was broken as suddenly as it was cast. He was now seeing things for what they really were again, and having Kai so close to him made his heart beat a million times faster.

Kyungsoo pushed him away with clammy palms. His eyes were the widest they had ever been.

“What the hell did you just do to me?”

Kai’s smile was lopsided again. “Do what?” He asked nonchalantly, even though they both knew Kai knew exactly what Kyungsoo was talking about. He took his time playing it cool, and when met with Kyungsoo’s refusal to ask again, knew this game wasn’t going to be easy.

The chair moved forward with a jerk, with a force so strong and sudden that Kyungsoo was almost thrown out of it. It pulled to a stop with a loud screech.

“That?” Kai asked, acting as if he needed the affirmation, and Kyungsoo really wanted to punch him in the face.

He didn’t wait for Kyungsoo’s answer, however. His gaze shifted from Kyungsoo to the table behind him, and Kyungsoo turned around just in time to see his portable speaker being lifted into the air and floating towards Kai.

“Or this?” Kai asked as the device landed safely in his open palm.

Kyungsoo opened his mouth, but nothing came out, and he shut it again dumbly.

He didn’t feel himself being dragged towards Kai again until they were staring up-close at each other. This time, however, Kyungsoo felt the strangest feeling wash over him. He couldn’t explain it. He knew he was in the presence of great power, and if he had any doubt about Kai being what he said he was prior to this, all of that was gone now. Instead of fear, Kyungsoo felt more awe.

“I’ll give you time to think about it, Kyungsoo.” Kai told him.

His eyes lightened into crimson again, except this time Kyungsoo saw with clarity how the colour swirled in those orbs, until they lightened into the colour of blood, and it was fascinating.

“Good night.”

That was the last thing he heard. The haze came rushing back, engulfing him, swallowing him into the pits of darkness, and Kyungsoo couldn’t really fight against his eyelids falling shut.

When he awoke again, he was laying in bed staring up at the ceiling. The room was drenched in darkness and he could hear the hooting of an owl outside. It would be easy to write off everything that had happened as a dream, except when he sat up and looked to his side, his window was still wide open.

A note from Kai, telling him this was real, everything that had happened was.

The breeze made his curtain dance in the moonlight, softly, dreamily.

-

Kyungsoo knew he was nowhere near graceful, too aware of it, even, having been told that his entire life. It was alright, though. It was never a fact that troubled him too much. So he had two left feet, so he tripped over nothing often and flailed a little too much for his liking sometimes, but it was never really a cause for concern.

Except maybe it would have been wise to use that knowledge to make calculated decisions. Kyungsoo found himself questioning his judgment as he made his way down the hallway with a pile of books in his arms, stacked high enough to obstruct his vision partially. It was a struggle, but he paid careful attention to putting one foot ahead of the other steadily.

His locker was just a little further down and everything would have been fine if he didn’t grow impatient as he got closer, yet again making another misjudgment by wanting the trouble to come to an end soon. The heavens decided it would be a good time to remind him of his clumsiness then, and it seemed almost natural that of course, of course Kyungsoo would end up stumbling over nothing and losing his balance.

He crashed to the ground heavily along with the books that fell in a series of loud thuds, a few flying open, the pages staring up at him accusingly.

Kyungsoo gave a small grunt as he slowly sat up from being sprawled across the floor. His T-shirt had failed to protect his elbows, leaving them slightly scraped, and Kyungsoo gave them a quick inspection. It was fortunate that the hallway was deserted at this time, which gave Kyungsoo the luxury of time as he took a few more seconds to get over the throbbing pain in his elbows and knees.

Just when he started to reach forward to gather the fallen books, the one he had been reaching for was lifted midair with a slight swoosh. It rose until it was just right above Kyungsoo’s grasp, hovering closely, tauntingly.

Kyungsoo didn’t even have to turn around to know who was responsible for this. He did anyway, twisting his neck to see Kai leaning against the wall just a few metres away from him, a naughty grin on his handsome face.

“Need help?”

He didn’t wait for Kyungsoo’s answer, knew that even if he gave Kyungsoo a chance to accept his offer, Kyungsoo wouldn’t give him a chance.

The book was propelled forth by a great force and swooshed through the air speedily, landing safely on Kai’s palms, just as Kyungsoo’s portable speaker did the other night. Then another book followed in the same path, and the next, until all the books were accounted for.

Of all the things that could bother him, Kyungsoo found especially infuriating how Kai could easily look over the height of the stacked books, much unlike him who was struggling so much.

“Where are you headed?”

Kyungsoo glanced around. The hallway was still deserted, but the bell would ring in a few minutes and he didn’t want to be seen interacting with Kai. He moved quickly, unlocking his locker and gesturing towards it.

Kai did as he was told without resorting to his special ability. He walked to the locker and placed the books inside, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help but notice that his usual naughty grin was gone, replaced by what he could only describe as sincerity, deceptive or not. Kai seemed to really want to help him—maybe he was insane for thinking that way at all.

The locker door shut with a clink. Kyungsoo, who had been hidden behind the metal door, came face to face with the soccer captain who didn’t appear to hold the same reservations when it came to their interaction. He was open and honest, he had been from the start, except that Kyungsoo had not been willing to accept it.

It would be impossible for anyone to accept someone who wanted to eat their soul.

Yet, Kai hadn’t laid a finger on him, and he had promised he wouldn’t without Kyungsoo’s permission. Kyungsoo remembered the day he saw what had changed his life forever, overturned all the knowledge he had accumulated of the world—shaking like a leaf, completely terrified of Kai. Now—he was standing before Kai, their eyes locked firmly, and he found that he wasn’t scared of Kai anymore.

Kai, at this moment, just seemed like any normal person to him, even despite knowing his identity.

That magical moment was promptly shattered by the shrill ringing of the bell. It startled Kyungsoo, making him jerk, and his gaze immediately flitted to the doors of the classrooms further down the hallway.

The doors opened, and Kyungsoo didn’t even bother saying bye before turning on his heels and scrambling away, still resolute about his refusal to be seen around with Kai. He was pretty tired of entertaining questions regarding his sudden friendship with the popular soccer captain, and he just didn’t want to be associated with him in general, more for himself than anything else.

He was well on his way, quite some distance wedged between him and Kai, when he spotted a familiar face amidst the crowd coming towards him. How could he not recognize that face instantly, how could that face not stand out like a diamond in the dark when Kyungsoo had spent hours checking out his Facebook profile, going through his photos, trying to get to know Minseok, the boy Kai had nearly killed?

The recognition was so intense that it made Kyungsoo stop in his tracks without meaning to. His gaze followed Minseok, who was oblivious to the attention Kyungsoo was showering upon him. He walked right past the gaping male, down the hallway where Kyungsoo had just parted from Kai, and he appeared so normal that Kyungsoo couldn’t stop staring after him.

Minseok looked a little thinner, less chubby than in his photos online, but otherwise he was alive and well and Kyungsoo was drowning in confusion. He so desperately wanted to chase after Minseok and ask what exactly went down, if he remembered anything about Kai’s involvement in his hospitalization, and if so, why hadn’t he said anything that would get Kai into trouble?

Those questions remained questions as he eventually lost sight of Minseok, and Kyungsoo spun around, moving along again to avoid getting jostled by people.

So many things he wanted to ask, and if he couldn’t approach Minseok just like that, then maybe Kai would be the best person to seek the truth from. If he dared to.

-

Unlike in the beginning when the confrontations occurred with earth-shattering intensity, Kai’s presence was made known with subtleness now. The sky beyond the window was seamless, vast and endlessly blue, graced by clouds resembling cotton candy. It dampened Kyungsoo’s spirits to be trapped in class on such a beautiful day with the teacher who came from hell.

He never did anything to attract attention to himself, but from the very first day Mr. Jung walked into class, he seemed to have decided he would hate Kyungsoo, and pick on him even when he was just minding his own damn business.

Today, Kyungsoo’s only goal was to get through his class without drawing his unkind attention, and then pack up and head home early for once. His favorite niece was coming over for dinner and a new episode of his favorite show would be released—there were so many things to look forward to.

It was when he was deep in those happy thoughts when Mr. Jung launched a surprise attack. He called Kyungsoo’s name, asked him which page they were on, and when Kyungsoo couldn’t answer, mumbled some unflattering remark under his breath and ordered Kyungsoo to remain standing for the remaining 40 minutes of his class.

Kyungsoo didn’t argue, didn’t bother fighting back. He stood up obediently, but Mr. Jung was still looking at him, and for an awful moment Kyungsoo wondered what else was waiting for him. A second passed, then two, and Mr. Jung never got to launch another attack, for a duster that had practically appeared out of nowhere was headed for his face at full speed and its due damage irreversible when he finally noticed it coming for him.

The duster hit him square in the face, leaving a large, blue mark. There was complete silence in the classroom, mutual astonishment dominating the small space, and then someone yelled and Kyungsoo didn’t miss the second duster that came flying through the open door.

This time, too, Mr. Jung was given no time to react. The second duster ran wham up against his crotch. It fell to the floor, and the entire classroom erupted in chaos. It was like someone had suddenly pushed a button. There was cheering, laughing, yelling—individual sounds that created an uproar when happening all at once.

A smile grew on Kyungsoo’s face, small at first, and then from ear to ear as Mr. Jung swore and ran through the door, wanting to catch whoever was responsible for it. Something warm bubbled in Kyungsoo’s chest, rising, rising, leaving through his lips as hearty laughter. He bent over laughing, fists slamming against the desk, and didn’t stop for a long time.

He knew very well who was behind it, and he knew that Mr. Jung would never catch whoever was responsible, who had been looking out for Kyungsoo. He turned around to look through the backdoor, already knowing Kai wouldn’t be hiding somewhere so open, but hoping he would catch a glimpse anyway.

He didn’t, but he felt Kai there, and in his mind’s eye, Kai’s trademark naughty grin was on full display.

That day, when the sky was the bluest it had ever been and the weather just about perfect, was the first time Kyungsoo started to think of his relationship with Kai as something akin to friendship.

-

When the dull thuds visited Kyungsoo in his room again, he went straight for the window. Just as expected, Kai was waiting on the branch. One foot was perched on the branch, leg pulled towards his chest, and the other was swinging freely. His usual lopsided grin appeared when Kyungsoo opened the window.

This time, no words were exchanged, or had to be. Kai dropped the remaining pebbles in his hands. He had probably been expecting more difficulty in getting Kyungsoo to the window. Like the first time, making his way into Kyungsoo’s room was effortless and just as graceful as the latter remembered it to be.

Kai was always dressed in dark colours. The only times Kyungsoo saw him in anything other than black was in school, when even the demon himself had to abide by school regulations. In the midst of Kyungsoo’s contemplation, Kai took to making himself feel at home. He headed straight for the bed and propped his back up with two pillows.

Then, he stared at Kyungsoo.

“You know, I should find it really creepy that you know where I live.” Kyungsoo started. He sat down on his chair as well, watching Kai watch him.

“But you don’t.” Kai’s answer wasn’t even a question, just a statement. An observation—of course, how could Kyungsoo say he found him creepy when he voluntarily let him into his room this time?

Seeing that the game was up, Kyungsoo gave a casual shrug. The incident with Mr. Jung came to mind and their conversation headed there too.

“You were the one who did that to Mr. Jung, weren’t you?”

Kai imitated his shrug. “Maybe.”

“Why did you do that?”

Kyungsoo knew the answer to that, but he wanted to hear it from Kai anyway. It didn’t take a genius to figure out Kai did that to gain his favour, but he needed to hear it from the man himself, and remind himself that Kai wasn’t doing this because he liked him or anything—what Kai wanted was much more sinister than that.

“Because I could.” Kai, as if reading Kyungsoo’s mind, refused to serve him a reminder of the cruel truth.

Kyungsoo didn’t realize, but he was already getting lost, especially when Kai’s eyes appeared so expressive in the light of his room. His dark eyes, charming and mysterious, drew him in. It was definitely a charm Kyungsoo couldn’t fight, but at least this time, Kai wasn’t making him sleepy again.

“I won’t hurt you.”

“Huh?”

Kai’s smile was gone, his face all serious again. That was precisely what made it difficult for Kyungsoo to believe what he was hearing.

“I said, I won’t hurt you. You don’t have to hold back so much. I can see it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you told me you wanted to eat my soul,” Kyungsoo muttered. His fingers went to the hem of his shirt, tugging at a loose string, feeling embarrassed that his feelings were so transparent to Kai.

Kai laughed softly. “There are a lot of things you don’t understand about that yet. Minseok is fine, isn’t he?”

At Minseok’s name, Kyungsoo’s head snapped up. He did have many burning questions about Minseok.

“How is he okay?”

Kai tucked his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. Kyungsoo’s windpipe didn’t feel so constricted anymore after the demon’s heavy gaze was lifted off him.

“Like I said, I didn’t finish the process. I didn’t take all of him. You came just in time. I was really starving, you know. It had been such a long time since I ate anything at all. But humans are so incredibly boring, and feasting on such souls is like putting rotten cheese into my mouth.”

Yet Kai wanted to eat him. That meant he was different from everyone else, wasn’t he? Kyungsoo didn’t know what to feel about that. It was, despite its nature, a compliment. Except it came with a cost. He tried to ignore how confused that made him feel and moved on.

“Where did you come from?”

Sensing Kyungsoo’s growing interest in him, Kai smiled. It wasn’t crooked, and it even seemed to reach his eyes. He glanced at Kyungsoo very briefly.

“From another realm.”

Another world, literally. Kyungsoo kept tugging at the loose string, pulling at it, watching it unravel slowly.

“How long have you been here?”

Kai hummed. “Not very long,” he admitted. “But time flows differently for us. One year for me is equivalent to twenty years for you.”

Kyungsoo sucked in a deep breath. He kept looking at Kai, not understanding why this demon was being so honest with him when he hadn’t promised him anything he wanted. It might be naive to feel this way even, but Kai seemed sincere.

Whether his suspicions were true or not, Kyungsoo knew for a fact that his life had always been a gray, barren canvas, and Kai’s explosive entrance was a brushstroke of colour. A splatter, a blotch; messy but the closest he had come to something that wasn’t mundane, banal.

So Kyungsoo surrendered his pride and allowed himself to be swept off his feet by the current, dipped himself into the river and went with the flow.

“Tell me about all that you’ve seen. Tell me everything about you that you think is worth mentioning.”

Kai’s eyes glimmered without turning crimson, and with the moonlight weaving itself into the gradually aging night, Kyungsoo too, started weaving together the semblances of this mysterious person.

-

“There’s no way that branch is going to hold my weight.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes at Kai. He was standing underneath Kai who was sitting very comfortably on a branch, and the sunlight shining through the leaves made him squint.

“Trust? You’re the last person I’d trust with my life.”

Those words didn’t falter Kai one bit. The demon simply grinned wider and patted the empty space beside him. He really was like a cat—Kyungsoo had watched Kai effortlessly climb up the tree and onto the branch in disbelief. He was so convinced that the branch was too thin to hold Kai’s weight, waited for it to snap and for Kai to fall to the ground, but it never happened.

“Come on!” Kai insisted. “Don’t be a wet blanket. The view up here is great. And your lunch is here, by the way. I don’t like food very much, but I’d finish this if no one comes to claim it.”

Only now did Kyungsoo notice that the lunchbox he had brought was missing, and apparently, up there on the tree branch with Kai. Kai proved that by raising said lunchbox and making a show of pretending to swallow it whole. It made Kyungsoo smile in spite of himself, finding all of this ridiculous, but in a good way.

Here he was outside school with the popular soccer captain who was actually a demon, teasing each other, having lunch together.

“There’s no way I can get up there,” Kyungsoo admitted sadly. “I’ve never climbed a tree in my entire life.”

Kai’s fringe was growing rather long and he swept it to the side impatiently. He put the lunchbox down and rubbed his chin, pondering over something. A short silence elapsed with them just staring at each other from their respective positions—Kyungsoo knew an idea was forming in Kai’s mind, and he was waiting to hear it.

“The last time I tried this was a long time ago,” Kai informed Kyungsoo, and only when a look of bewilderment crossed Kyungsoo’s face did he remember that Kyungsoo had no idea what he was talking about.

However, instead of kindly explaining to Kyungsoo what he had in mind, he decided to carry out his plan right away. He stared real hard at Kyungsoo, so hard it made Kyungsoo feel self-conscious and uncomfortable again, feelings that had slowly ebbed after spending enough time together.

The abundant sunlight made it impossible to miss Kai’s eyes lightening into the crimson Kyungsoo had not seen since the first time he visited him in his bedroom, and Kyungsoo was so immersed in them, so immensely distracted that he didn’t even realize his feet were no longer planted firmly on the ground.

When Kai said he hadn’t done this for a long time, it must have been much longer than Kyungsoo expected. Or maybe he just rarely moved objects as heavy as Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo felt his entire body tipping sideways, and it was only at this point did he look down and see himself hovering above the grass.

Too astonished to even scream, Kyungsoo just stared dumbly at the ground that was getting further and further away, and when he raised his head, Kai was within his reach. All he had to do was reach out, and his fingers would graze Kai’s crossed legs, but Kyungsoo was frozen.

It was a rather terrifying experience—thrilling, but also scary when he hadn’t been told what to expect. Kai did his best straightening his form again, and when Kyungsoo finally ended up beside him, he did so in a sitting position.

Thankfully he did, for his legs had turned to jelly, and Kai laughed loudly when Kyungsoo pressed his fist against his chest in a bid to calm his racing heart.

“Some warning next time would be great,” Kyungsoo muttered begrudgingly.

“You would have objected to it,” Kai simply said. There was a happy smile on his face and Kyungsoo couldn’t tell if that was the reason why his heart still wasn’t calming down.

Then Kai passed him his lunchbox as a reward, and all thoughts unrelated to food promptly disappeared. Kyungsoo gobbled down his lunch quickly, in high spirits. Kai was right. The view from up here was great and the sounds of nature amplified. Leaves rustled whenever the wind blew and the branch had proven Kyungsoo’s suspicion that it would snap under their weight wrong.

Or at least for long enough—the branch did its best, holding up the both of them. But Kai, despite his telekinesis ability, couldn’t perform a miracle after all. After the heavens decided they had spent long enough together on the branch, broke its little spell. Kyungsoo felt the tree branch giving way—it bent lower, lower, lower, and he had only enough time to shout “it’s breaking!” before everything happened.

One second they were up in the air, swinging their legs carefreely, and the next, the branch snapped loudly and the yellow sea of withered leaves was rushing up to meet them. Kai definitely had sharper instincts and quicker reflexes, capable enough of turning this whole situation around. Things could have ended up a lot worse, perhaps with a fractured bone, but Kai pulled Kyungsoo towards him and wrapped himself around the boy.

They fell that way, with Kai’s body a shield protecting Kyungsoo’s from harm.

When they hit the ground with a thump, Kai’s body absorbing most of the impact, Kyungsoo reacted immediately and pulled back to check if the boy beneath him was alright. He braced himself for the worst, but he was met with only Kai’s closed eyes and a small smile on the demon’s face. That smile grew wider when Kai opened those eyes, and he looked so incredibly cheeky, Kyungsoo felt the laughter bubbling in his chest.

He went back to laying sprawled across Kai’s body and positively launched into a laughing fit. If anyone asked, he wouldn’t be able to point out what exactly was so hilarious, but this situation right now just was. Soon enough, Kai joined in, and with the sunshine warming the back of his neck and birds singing around them, Kyungsoo dimly noted that this was the first time he had heard Kai laugh so carefreely.

This very moment was worth relishing in. Kai’s laughter was adorable—he laughed freely like nothing was wrong in the world, and the more Kyungsoo listened, he found that he was able to believe that was the case now.

They laughed until they were both out of breath. Kyungsoo rolled off Kai, landing on his back beside him, and they turned to look at each other at the same time. Kyungsoo wondered if his smile was as radiant as Kai’s, and was surprised that the demon could smile so radiantly at all.

“I told you,” Kyungsoo finally said. He turned back to the sky.

“It was still worth a shot,” came Kai’s mellow reply.

The school bell rang at that time and that happy moment came to an end. Kyungsoo got up, dusted the back of his pants, and held his hand out for Kai. Kai grabbed it, pulled himself up, and they walked back to school quietly. Their shoulders bumped from time to time, and their fingers brushed against each other teasingly.

-

It could be that he was so used to Kai’s presence that he started growing dependent as well, looking forward to spending time with him. After all, Kai was always interesting. Kyungsoo liked watching him move random objects around, and listening to his often controversial opinions. The demon had somehow gotten under his skin along the way, and was growing on him in such an unprecedented rate, Kyungsoo had no idea how to reverse anything.

But there was always one thing bothering him. The nature of their relationship, ultimately, was strange. At times, Kyungsoo would come close to forgetting why Kai started trying to gain his favour in the first place. He would find the matter pushed to the back of his mind, but it was difficult to completely overlook and swallow, so it would always come back to him at times he felt like he was slowly letting all of his defenses down.

He didn’t like it. Didn’t like having to hold back, or to constantly remind himself that nothing was genuine between them. Things were left hanging, and Kyungsoo didn’t want to put up with the elephant in the room.

One night, after Kai’s soccer match and on their way to get supper, Kyungsoo raised the topic. There didn’t seem to be a better time—the night was quiet, the streets bare, though occasionally a car would speed down the road and remind Kyungsoo that the world contained more than just the both of them.

“There’s something I want to ask you.”

Kai barely looked at him. “Go ahead.”

“It’s about the contract.”

Now Kai was looking at him. His heavy gaze made Kyungsoo avert his eyes. He took a deep breath and let it all out in the next.

“What happens if I form a contract with you?”

His question wasn’t meant to indicate a willingness to do so, but one born solely out of curiosity. Even so, he now turned to watch Kai’s face carefully. The demon’s face remained perfectly expressionless. He had showered after the match so his hair looked soft and his face fresh and alert. There was nothing that revealed what Kai was thinking, and it had always been this way. Kyungsoo could never read Kai, though Kai read him like an open book.

“I grant your wish, anything you ask for, and I get to eat your soul as payment.”

“And then I die.” Kyungsoo finished flatly.

Kai’s laughter surprised him. “No, you wouldn’t. Not the way I do it. You’ll still remain alive, except I don’t know if you consider yourself being alive when you don’t have a soul. You’ll no longer feel anything humans do—emotions, pain, nothing. Most people end their lives after that happens. It’s far too easy to shatter a broken vase.”

“So I’ll become a zombie?”

“Hmm.” Kai tilted his head towards Kyungsoo. “Something like that.”

“What if I never form a contract with you?” Will you leave me?

Could Kai read his mind this time? Kyungsoo wasn’t looking at Kai anymore. He didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know if he was ready for the answer he would hear. Only that there was a small pause, and then Kai gave another one of his small laughs.

“I wouldn’t hurt you,” he promised, and this time, Kyungsoo knew he wasn’t lying. He accepted Kai’s answer and said nothing more to pursue the topic.

The topic was closed just as they reached the fast food restaurant. It would be a few weeks later when Kyungsoo would tell Kai that he wanted to form a contract with him.

-

The ease with which Kyungsoo watched the objects in his room float around, the understanding that this had now become something completely normal to him, were perhaps what compelled him to say what he did.

Kai’s eyes only glowed when he moved heavier objects. It appeared effortless to lift Kyungsoo’s glasses into mid-air, and to further challenge himself, Kai would levitate multiple objects at once. His eyes were always focused when he did that, although he hadn’t always been this serious—it took one broken bottle of cologne and a whole lot of passive-aggressiveness from Kyungsoo to convince Kai he should have the decency to be more cautious about this.

This time, they were watching the hairdryer, textbook, and wallet levitate through the air. Going around in circles, then in random directions. It mirrored their current state, and Kyungsoo was growing tired of feeling like they were heading nowhere. He had never been one to beat around the bush, he always chose to confront his feelings.

“I think I’m starting to like you.”

It wasn’t Kai’s face that betrayed his reaction, rather, the levitating objects did. They stopped moving abruptly, and time very well stopped. The world stopped for them.

“What?” It was clear Kai had heard him the first time—he just needed confirmation.

Kyungsoo decided to grant him that. He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled courage. “I think I’m starting to like you,” he repeated his confession.

Perhaps, deep down, Kyungsoo already knew that his confession wouldn’t amount to anything. He couldn’t say he was surprised when his hairdryer, textbook and wallet fell to the ground with a startling thud all at the same time. The magic in the air dissolved, and Kai’s eyes were glowing red when he dragged his gaze over to meet his.

“You can’t fall in love with me,” Kai said. He had obviously gotten the crux of what Kyungsoo was trying to tell him. “I’m a demon. I’m immortal.”

The truth had been there all along, wedged between them like a boulder. Kyungsoo had always known, only that he had managed to shove their differences to the back of his mind for long enough. Kai’s eyes were still blazing, and a pair of steel hands gripped Kyungsoo’s neck.

“You’re just a weak human who can succumb to death so easily. I could kill you right now.”

Kyungsoo didn’t doubt any of Kai’s words. He knew he was nothing to Kai, he knew Kai could crush him like an ant. All of a sudden he felt stupid for feeling the way he did. What was he expecting anyway, when he took that leap of faith?

The demon didn’t appear to want to hear Kyungsoo’s answer. He didn’t even bother fixing the mess he had made, and Kyungsoo’s items remained lying on the ground; a painful reminder of what had gone wrong.

Kai rolled off the bed, made his way to the window, and Kyungsoo didn’t watch him go, couldn’t bring himself to.

He pulled his blanket over his head and remained hidden in the darkness even long after the sun had risen, wondering if he was going crazy because he could still feel Kai’s presence, warm and comfortable, right beside him.

-

Kai’s absence wasn’t given much thought to until the fourth day, when people started asking Kyungsoo if he knew of Kai’s whereabouts because the soccer captain hadn’t been attending school and was nowhere to be found. However, all contact with Kai had been lost after that night and Kyungsoo’s ignorance left a bitter taste on his tongue that didn’t sit well with him.

He thought Kai had just been avoiding him, which wasn’t something to worry about because before everything, before the demon started taking the initiative to look for him, their paths rarely ever crossed anyway. He just thought Kai needed time, he needed time, they both needed some space. Or at least that was what he had been telling himself to feel better.

Even though he had braced himself for the worst case scenario, it still felt like a punch in the face. And Kyungsoo thought it strange, how he could spend so much time preparing himself for something, yet feel the sting of it like he hadn’t at all anyway.

Kai’s sudden disappearance was a great concern for there was an upcoming soccer match and inevitably, a fair amount of the pressure to find Kai fell on Kyungsoo’s shoulders. He felt bad, really, knowing that he was indirectly responsible for this. What was he thinking anyway, telling Kai that he was starting to develop feelings for him?

One week passed without hearing a single word from Kai, and Kyungsoo grew increasingly worried each night. He kept thinking that the demon might have gone back to where he came from, or he might already be somewhere else far away from here, as Kai was prone to moving around without explanation in the tales he had shared with Kyungsoo.

With every passing day, the emptiness in Kyungsoo’s chest swelled. Perhaps their story was meant to be a tragedy from the start—how could he ever expect anything good when Kai was the protagonist? The beginning was difficult, having to adjust to not having Kai around all over again, and feeling his heart throb with pain every single time he saw something that reminded him of the demon.

Then Kyungsoo started giving up hope, thinking it was the easier way out. He gave up waiting for Kai to come back. And it would seem the demon was a very cruel man after all, for it was precisely at the moment Kyungsoo stopped expecting anything that he made his grand return, although in the most subtle ways that became obvious only when Kyungsoo noticed and started paying more attention.

The first time Kyungsoo noticed something out of the ordinary was in the classroom, when he was studying alone after lessons. Now that he didn’t have Kai to hang out with anymore, all he could do was fall back into his old routine. He didn’t look away from his paper as he reached for his bottle, hand sweeping across the table, and in the process, accidentally knocking a few pens to the ground.

Kyungsoo muttered “shit” under his breath and bent over, spotting his three fallen pens immediately. One was right by his foot, but the other two had managed to roll a little further away—meaning he had to leave his comfortable seat if he wanted to retrieve them.

As any logical person would do, he picked up the pen nearest to him first, set it in a safe position on his desk, and when he bent over again, something strange had happened. The two pens that had been out of his reach just a few seconds ago were suddenly near his feet. He froze, staring intently at the pens, and after some deliberation, decided it was for a certainty that the pens had indeed moved from their original positions.

His heart recognized this situation before his brain did—it skipped a beat, and before Kyungsoo could even comprehend his actions, he was already on his feet, looking around for Kai. He raced to the door, hoping for just a glimpse of Kai, but there were no familiar faces in the hallway.

Wherever Kai was, he was well-hidden, and definitely not ready to face Kyungsoo yet. Since the demon had made his intentions clear, Kyungsoo would respect them. He didn’t try to pursue Kai, only mumbled a quiet “thank you”, and the rest of the day was what he would consider uneventful.

Incidents like that became frequent. Kyungsoo would drop something, sometimes intentionally, and these objects would always be impossibly near when he retrieved them. However, Kyungsoo’s suspicion that Kai was watching him, guarding over him from a distance was proven on the night after their annual field trip. He was walking home as he usually did, enjoying the cool breeze ruffling his hair, and completely lost in thoughts—so distracted that he failed to see the stone in his path.

It was only when he tripped over it, felt himself falling, when he was greeted by a resisting force and time seemed to slow down. Within that few long seconds, he registered a few facts: that he had tripped over a stone, that he was falling, and that something had pushed him back to an upright position, protecting him from anything unfortunate.

That was when he knew for sure. He didn’t bother looking around this time, aware that Kai would make himself visible if he wanted to. Kyungsoo simply clenched his fists, and with a racing heart, addressed the darkness.

“Kai, you really don’t even have the balls to face me?”

Maybe it was better that the demon didn’t respond to that. It wasn’t the best time or place to meet again, anyway. Kyungsoo didn’t linger for long. He waited for a few minutes, and when it became evident that Kai still needed some time, he resumed his journey like nothing had happened.

A few street-lights weren’t working, causing his path to be dimly-lit, but Kyungsoo didn’t feel even an ounce of fear. He knew he was well protected, he knew Kai was somewhere there making sure he got home safely, and most importantly, he knew that his feelings were reciprocated by the demon, even if Kai himself was too much of a coward to admit that.

-

Kyungsoo’s first proper encounter with Kai had been unexpected and absolutely terrifying, and the demon had always managed to surprise him in some way in their subsequent encounters. As such, with the element of surprise embedded as a constant in their meetings, Kyungsoo couldn’t really say that he was taken aback when Kai finally appeared before his eyes again after two long weeks of absence.

The sky was growing darker and darker by the second, the sight of ominous storm clouds making Kyungsoo feel glad that he was home at this very moment. It was a Saturday afternoon, but the approaching storm made it feel like twilight instead, and an inexplicable sense of calm enveloped Kyungsoo as he stood by his window for a moment watching the world turn grey and cold.

The branches outside were swaying wildly, the leaves rustling loudly, and a sudden urge to get a whiff of the sweet, earthy scent that always accompanied the rain had Kyungsoo opening his window. The wind attacked him instantly, and relentlessly so, and Kyungsoo let his eyes fall shut, simply enjoying this refreshing sensation.

His hair was a complete mess but he was wearing his favourite sweater and that was all he really needed to fend himself against the storm. Except the storm wasn’t the only thing at his doorstep. With it came someone who was equally dangerous and unpredictable, but sweetly addictive.

Kyungsoo felt Kai’s presence before he saw him—there was no way the order could have been reversed when the demon pushed Kyungsoo back so he had enough space to enter through the window.

“Kai,” Kyungsoo breathed out when he took in the sight of the person standing before him, dragging that one syllable out for as long as it took him to believe that it really was Kai.

Kai was dressed in all black as usual, and when Kyungsoo looked at him like this, an incredibly warm tenderness filled his chest. Just like that, the air between them started buzzing with electricity, sending a tingling sensation across the expanse of Kyungsoo’s exposed skin.

The demon didn’t respond to his name. He looked at Kyungsoo, but that was all he did.

Kyungsoo immediately understood that he had to be the braver one between them. While his eyes were still greedily absorbing the sight of Kai, his words came tumbling out in a rush, as if fearful that the demon would vanish again—forever this time.

“I want to form a contract with you.”

Kai’s eyes grew wider. He remained unmoving, stiff.

Kyungsoo didn’t break their eye-contact, wanted Kai to know that he was serious about this, that he had thought this through.

“I want you to fall in love with me. You said anything, didn’t you? You would grant any wish.”

This wasn’t Kyungsoo being some stupid infatuated teenager. He had figured everything out, and although this was ultimately still a gamble, he was confident of that the odds were in his favour. Kai appeared to realize that too, for his eyes narrowed, and then he smiled the crooked smile Kyungsoo had missed so dearly.

“You’ve thought this through,” Kai remarked, and took a step towards Kyungsoo. “You think I wouldn’t be able to devour your soul if I granted your wish.” Another step. Kyungsoo smiled back, an impish grin. “You know I wouldn’t do anything to you, if I’m in love with you.”

They were so close now that Kyungsoo couldn’t see anything besides Kai’s face, didn’t want to see anything else anyway. He had never wanted more badly than to wrap his arms around Kai right now and melt in the warmth of his embrace. Distance really made the heart grow fonder—their short separation had brought out a side of Kyungsoo he never knew he had in him.

“So will you grant my wish?”

Sure, Kyungsoo had calculated the odds, but at the end of the day, feelings were unpredictable and he knew that everything might go terribly wrong. This might even be the last time he would see Kai, if the demon eventually decided not to risk everything for a human being. There were so many things they had to think about—Kai’s immortality was a problem Kyungsoo knew they would never be able to address, but even so, he wanted to give them a chance.

Amazing things might happen, could happen, have already been happening ever since Kai appeared in his life. A vibrant burst of colour in the pale canvas of his life. He couldn’t let go. There was no way he would ever let go.

Kyungsoo didn’t know how a contract was formed, but when he saw Kai’s eyes turn crimson, he knew his prayers had been answered. It would seem that the demon did feel the same about him after all. And this made him feel pretty damn special—that someone who had existed for hundreds of years, who had walked the world, who had met thousands of people, would see something in him.

“It might hurt a little bit because I’m going to have to leave an imprint on you,” Kai told him. His gaze trailed lower to Kyungsoo’s hand, and a million butterflies exploded in the latter’s tummy as Kai took his hand and raised it to his chest. “On your hand, perhaps.”

“How painful?” Kyungsoo whispered, even though he didn’t really care. He couldn’t take his eyes away from the sight of Kai’s fingers wrapped gently around his hand.

“Well, I know one way to distract you from the pain.”

Everything with Kai was explosive, sudden, surprising. The demon gripped the back of Kyungsoo’s neck, pulled him in—he closed in quickly, then suddenly he wasn’t fast enough, and Kyungsoo was leaning in to meet him halfway, and their lips finally met in a kiss that Kyungsoo felt was all they needed as assurance of how everything they might have to endure would be worth the pain.

The kiss was sweet and gentle and tame and Kyungsoo couldn’t think of a better situation to be in. A clap of thunder broke them apart briefly as they took time to recover their breath, and Kyungsoo vaguely noticed that the rain had started, and was growing heavy.

He only vaguely noticed because Kai was in his arms and he smelled so good and Kyungsoo couldn’t believe how far they had come.

“I couldn’t stay away from you,” Kai admitted, though Kyungsoo had already figured that out for himself.

“About damn time, _demon_.” He muttered, not quite sure what he was referring to, and pulling Kai down again for a kiss that was supposed to distract him from the pain.

Pain. Kyungsoo knew their affair would be nothing close to easy, but the rush that came with Kai’s embrace was all that mattered at this very moment—perhaps he could attribute this recklessness to his youth and ignorance—it didn’t matter.

Right now, all he cared about was Kai, them, and what they felt about each other.

Somehow they ended up falling onto the bed with their limbs tangled and lips still locked. Someone must have initiated it, but all relevant thoughts were so far away, as were the thoughts related to pain and the storm brewing outside.

It was just them, a bed, and feelings that had grown too much to be carefully hidden away any longer.

**Author's Note:**

> To my recipient: Hey there! I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry if this wasn't what you expected—I wasn't able to throw in smut or anything because I didn't feel like it would suit the dynamics of the characters in this story. I also wrote this on a really tight schedule since I had to deal with many other commitments so I couldn't stretch it to its fullest potential. It was really difficult for me to settle on which prompt to write. In fact, this was the third one I settled on. I started writing drafts for two other prompts, but I just wasn't feeling it, and they never materialized. Nevertheless, I hope that this was an enjoyable read and that I didn't disappoint you. ☺
> 
> To everyone else: Thank you so much for reading this! I struggled very much while writing because I didn't have enough time, and because I really wanted to focus on other things. Despite that, I'm really glad that I pushed through this, even though I'm not entirely proud of this story because I feel that it could be so much more if I just had more time and dedication. Thank you so much to all the mods who have been working so hard to make this possible ♥ I really appreciate it, I'm sure we all do.
> 
> Till we meet again!


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